Remembering tragic Mia with a beautiful woodland tribute

Hayley O’Keeffe

The parents of a tot who died from a rare heart condition are hosting a ball to raise cash for her charity.

Mia Elcock died in 2011 aged 13 months after doctors at Milton Keynes hospital failed to spot she had a rare heart condition when she became ill.

Her parents Kirstin McIntosh and Simon Elcock wanted to honour their daughter’s love of nature, and set up Mia’s Wood in Little Horwood - a natural space where families who have suffered a bereavement can go to reflect.

In September last year the pair held the first ever MiaFest, a family festival for over 250 people, and hope to develop the site further to include more family-friendly facilities.

To raise money for the project Horwood House will play host to a fundraising ball, on Saturday, February 21.

The black tie event will include a three course dinner, and music from local band Eclectix, tickets cost £57.50.

Mia’s dad Simon said: “Trees in their gorgeous autumnal colours, the reds and golds resonating in the sun, will always remind me of our Mia, as will rustling all the leaves that so captivated our little girl on our many walks together.

“This is why establishing a wood in Mia’s memory, a Mia wood, is so important to us.

“Planting saplings that will grow and mature over a lifetime, what should have been Mia’s lifetime , into mighty trees - repaying the care and love invested in them with beauty, a lasting joy to everyone.”

To find out more about the project, and get tickets for the ball visit www.miaswood.org.uk